a poem in my pocket

so much depends upon

the stainless tea kettle

whistling

on bisque enamel stove

next to bunch of yellow

ripened bananas and a

 warm batch

of  ginger crackle cookies.

William Carlos Williams’ poem about the red wheelbarrow inspired this poem…

baby boy
bouncy baby boy
beautiful bouncy baby boy
big beautiful bouncy baby boy

brother to four
older sister-mothers
who coo when you cry,
“you know that we love you!”

breast-fed and chubby
with soft rolls of charm
your smiling blue eyes
and adorable dimples

grandma’s ticklish touch
triggers wiggly giggles
you’re round and delightful,
sweet-cheeked apple of my eye!

we’re passing shadows
from dust to dust again;
Jim’s baptism~memorial
marked in same church.

his body now laid to rest
soul released into glory;
farmer planted in the soil
harvest is brought home.

casket bouquet features
corn, fishing pole, tractor;
children, grands & greats,
fruit of faithful marriage.

he outlived son & one lung,
now breathes heaven’s air;
entered the land of living…
those left behind will come

fallen…in rebellion

we are but broken twigs

fuel for feeding the fire;

ephemoral ash and smoke

all black-tarred with sticky guilt

destined for eternal combustion

in hot flames of the Almighty’s

justifiable wrath;  pure holiness

cannot ignore injustice and

violence interminably nor can

Love itself tolerate ingrates’ hate.

his heart weeps as he sweeps

the good earth clean again in

a purifying inferno.

__________

forgiven…lifted up

by Grace we learn to

see our true selves as

repentant and redeemed;

washed joyous clean again

in the blood of the Son’s one

done sacrifice;  destined for

eternal restored relationship

with our Creator/Father

who in open-armed mercy

accepts us in Agape love itself

which transforms our earthly

mirror images to reflect light

of perfecting peace.